Playing God
by niightowl
Summary: When a new danger re-appears in Minecraftia, who's expected to defeat it? The New Order, of course! Jesse and his friends set out to combat this new threat. They'll all return home, heroic and in one piece, right? It may be, but it seems that fate has other ideas... Will the New Order be in time to save the world? [Temporarily Hiatused]
1. Chapter 1: An Exposition

**[[Update Log: February 13, 2017]]**

 **Alrighty! So here it is, my first Minecraft: Story Mode fanfiction. I hope you'll stay along for the ride :)**

 **Also may include brief or implied Jetra/Luktra or Jesskas if you want to see it that way. But this is not a romantic story unless you choose to interpret it to be.**

 **Shadow: Hey, what about us?! I thought you said we were going to be in a story!**

 **Hush, Shadow.**

 **Shadow: ...**

 **Anyways, hit it Minty!**

 **Minty: Yayyy, this is my favorite part! *flips switch* Flippity flip!**

 **Uh, alright. Anyways, ladies and gentlegrie-er, men, the first chapter of "Playing God."**

* * *

The moon shone brightly over the jungle trees, shining on the vines, but casting dark shadows under the trees. Every now and then, a creeper or zombie scuttled through the jungle, but otherwise, it was silent. The darkness settled like a cloak over the jungle, smothering the grass and trees trunks but in one place, it was fighting against a circle of firelight and five weary travelers. Their sacks were scattered around and they sat in the firelight, talking and laughing loudly at times. But now, they had lapsed into a period of silence.

"That was pretty intense," one boy piped up, fiddling with some gunpowder and grass. The powder spilled onto his green jacket sleeve and pants, so he quickly tried to brush the stuff off, but without much result.

"Yeah, whatever you say," a girl said, "Just put away that gunpowder, Axel. You're making me nervous." Axel grinned at her and stuffed it in a flask. She rolled her eyes and started playing with her dark hair again.

"But that was the weirdest dungeon I've ever been in. Gotta give him that, Olivia," the blond guy muttered, looking up from his writing and flicking ashes from his boots, "I mean, three spawners full of zombies, creepers, and bats. I've never seen that many in one place."

"Yeah, weird. But why the bats, though? They aren't particularly dangerous." Olivia asked. Another boy shrugged.

"Who knows? But Lukas is right. I've never fought so many monsters at one time in my life!" he exclaimed, then he looked at a red headed girl, "Hey, Petra. You alright?" She just shrugged and rubbed her dark eyes.

"I'm pretty tired. It's been a long day, Jesse. For all of us." Jesse just brushed some hair out of his eyes and looked into the fire, grinning.

"But that was crazy, though. Stepping into that cave and having to wave a torch to keep those monsters away. And all that... What do I call it?" he said slyly, "Yelling? No, more like screaming. Or high-pitched squealing." He glanced at Axel, who was weaving the grass stems into a small rope.

"Shut up," he growled. The group laughed.

"Hey, it was pretty funny at the time," Jesse countered.

"Yeah, like it was funny to see you yelling as you and Petra were being chased by those bats, huh?" Axel snickered. Jesse punched him in the arm, but Axel just chuckled as he got death glares from Petra.

"Uh-huh, and so was that time when that creeper-" Petra started.

"Whoa, guys, guys! Calm down, it's been a day, huh? So let's just, uh, talk about something else? What did you guys get?" Lukas cut her off. Axel pulled few gems out of his pocket.

"Finally got my emeralds to finish that floor," he announced, "And I got some cake!"

"Whoa! Cake?!" Jesse exclaimed. Axel just shrugged.

"Here. Have some." He broke off pieces of the sweet and passed it around. Jesse offered a bit to Petra, but she just looked away.

"Petra? Don't you want some?" he asked.

"Meh, I'm alright. I had some baked potatoes earlier."

"But- I mean, it's cake!" She took the slice from him, grinning slightly.

"Fine, I'll just keep it in my inventory for when I need it." She pushed through her sack, "Oh, and I got a few bars of gold and leather." Jesse nodded.

"Yeah, I think I have some iron bars," he said, "Good for a new sword if I ever need it."

"All I got were a couple of feathers," Lukas sighed, "No idea what they're good for, except for a couple of arrows."

"I just got some stone blocks, and a few sticks," Olivia added, "Nothing too exciting, but now I'll be able to finish that arrow dispenser!"

"And what are you going to do with that?" Axel remarked snidely.

"Well, I've got _some_ one here who's just begging for a few arrows in the-"

"Okay, guys. Calm down," Jesse interrupted, "We're all tense, it's been a while. So let's try to get some sleep." He rubbed the back of his head, "Uh, I can keep the first watch, and if anyone else wants to-"

"Hey, sure. I can do that," Petra offered, narrowing her eyes.

"Uh, and you can have the second watch, then."

He got up and drew his sword, leaning against a nearby tree for support. Jesse watched as everyone lay down and nodded off in the firelight. The moon inched overhead, and the stars crept across the dark cloak of the sky, casting an even darker gloom on everything. When he saw that everyone was asleep, he started fencing with the shadows to keep his mind off drowsiness.

In his mind's eyes, he was attacking the Witherstorm all over again, getting revenge for killing- him. He hit the command block again and again, but it just wouldn't break. When Jesse finally managed to break it and opened his eyes, he saw that he'd just cut a piece of wood from a tree. He sheathed his sword and looked at the dying embers of the fire. Reaching out, Jesse grabbed some dead branches and threw them on the fire, which licked hungrily at the sticks. He stared meditatively at the fire, watching it devour the sticks and cast weird shadows on things in the circle of firelight, then closed his eyes for a second. Just for a second...

Suddenly, someone jerked him from his light doze.

"Keeping watch, huh?" someone laughed. Jesse opened an eye.

"Oh, hey Petra. You feeling better?" She rolled her eyes.

"Wow, you're worse than Lukas. He was asking me if I was alright, like all the time from that dungeon to here."

"Maybe he- you know," Jesse winked at her. Petra glared at him, then punched his arm. He just laughed.

"Stop that thought. Right there. Just leave this up to me," she said, waving a hand, "Go sleep or something, I'll be fine." He opened his mouth to protest, but she narrowed her eyes to threatening slits. So he just sat down by the fire, closed his eyes and listened to the crackling of the flames. Soon, Jesse was drifting off to troubled dreams.

* * *

 **I- uh, this is my first MC:SM fanfic, so I'm experimenting. And, mercy please? I've been working on three other plots beside this, but I felt like this would be the best and discarded the other three... But anyways, please critique! I know that there's definitely things I need to work on.**

 **P.S. "Playing God" is not a reference to the song... I'll explain later :3**

 **QTC: What's the better OTP? Jetra or Luktra?**

 **I have no reviews to reply to. Boohoo. What a surprise.**

 **~Meow**


	2. Chapter 2: A New Threat

**[[Update Log: February 28, 2017]]**

 **Wow! It's been a while. Writer's block is just, ergh. And I've been procrastinating as well. The only reason I've finished rewriting this chapter so "quickly" (I did this in three days after deleting the old, ewww version of this chapter that was very cringey) is because the Scratch website is down. And it has been down. But anyways...**

 **Hit it, Mintyyy!**

 **Minty: Yay! Another switch! *flips switch***

 **So, enjoy!**

* * *

"Jesse!"

"Hey, wha-?" the brunet yawned, cracking open an eye "Axel? What the-? What time is it?"

"Wake up!" Jesse sat up and stretched leisurely.

"Alright, alright! I'm up!" he murmured as he got to his feet. He leaned against a tree and fought back another yawn, looking blearily at the sky.

Right after sunrise. Great. Because who doesn't want to be up when the birds are thinking of singing? Jesse kicked a sack over absentmindedly, then bent down to pick it up and slung it over his shoulder. He stumbled over to his horse, the white stallion that had helped him escape the Witherstorm with Petra all those months, or years? ago. Sticking his foot in the stirrup, he performed a small jump and hoisted himself into the saddle, then patted the horse's neck while glancing around.

It seemed like Olivia was finishing packing up, and Petra and Axel were mounting their horses. As for Lukas, well, he was trying to to get in the saddle, almost succeeded one time, but gave up and leaned his elbows on it, and rested his head on his hands.

"Hey, Lukas! You planning on staying?" Jesse called, and the blond looked over.

"Uh, no. It's just, kinda hard to get on a horse when it's early, and you're tired."

"Maybe you'd have better luck if you tried from the left side."

"No, I think I got it-" Lukas muttered as he finally managed to straddle the horse. He fingered the reigns and closed his eyes briefly. Jesse felt tempted to do the same but rubbed his sore thigh. He hadn't ever remembered being tempted to fall asleep on a horse. The ground was a bit too far to fall while sleeping for him.

He took a quick check around. Okay, there was Petra, trying to keep her flighty horse from dashing away. Axel was shifting in the saddle, probably eager to get a move on and get home. It had been a long couple of weeks of temple raiding, and everyone was happy with their spoils, but they were all yearning to get home. And there was Lukas… Who looked like he'd fallen asleep. Probably dozing or something. And Olivia, adjusting her ponytails. Alright. So, Jesse guessed, ready to go.

He slapped the reigns, and the stallion whinnied but complied. The four horses followed his lead, and the five teens were all off. They rode in bumpy silence, looking tired at first, but slowly waking up as the sun crept over the mountaintops and began its steady climb to the other side of the sky. Jesse watched as the clouds were painted in light pinks, purples, and oranges, and moved across the heavens like wayward puffballs. The long shadows were forming into cohesive shapes, then shrinking.

After a while of their traveling, the sun had marched overhead, not to its highest point, but somewhere between. The breeze ran playfully through the trees, and birds whistled and chatted above in their strange whistling language. The sun beat down, but sometimes paused to hide behind a cloud then peep back out again as if playing a game. It was a pleasant morning.

"Nice day," Jesse sighed, "I just wish we were back home to enjoy it."

"Yeah. But it's better than riding in the rain," Petra muttered, "Like that one time a few weeks ago. That was a downpour."

"Oh, yeah, I remember that. It was really damp for days afterwards," Olivia said, "It was a nightmare trying to get dry."

"Yeah, and my TNT almost didn't work that day because the temple was too wet," Axel remarked. Jesse waited for Lukas to pipe up, but he was just looking at the horizon, a half-grin on his face. Silence. The birds sang and played, an eagle soared in the distance…

 **xXx**

They had been riding for a few days now. They had passed through biomes over the next few days and were now riding through a desert biome. The sun was no longer playing, but stared down at the five teens in something like a bored glare. It was after noon, and the sand rabbits watched the five intruders cautiously, bolting at the slightest hint of danger from these invaders.

Olivia looked at the shifting sands beneath their feet, "I don't remember the desert being THIS big. How long have we been here, anyways?"

"Uh, it hasn't been that long. We were still in that forest this morning. Or was it yesterday morning?" Jesse said, squinting into the distance.

"Well, whenever it was, I'll just be glad to get home," Lukas mumbled, taking off his goggles and rubbing at the red marks they made on his forehead.

"Same. I guess I've been sorta homesick," Petra sighed, "I mean, it's great to explore new places, but you know, someone said that the best journey is a trip home. I'm starting to believe it." She ran her hand over her face, yawning.

Jesse couldn't blame her. It was pretty hot, and the sunshine was making him tired. Not to mention the fact that he hadn't been sleeping well the past few nights. He didn't know why, he just- wasn't.

"We should play a game or something," Lukas mused.

"We've been talking the whole ride for the past few days. I think we're all out of things to say," Petra replied.

Jesse glanced over his shoulder for a second, then trained his eyes on the horizon again. "Why not? A game sounds kind like fu- hey!" He leaned forward. "I think we're almost home. Look at the green smudge on the horizon. Either that's a lot of cactuses, or-"

"Cacti," Olivia corrected, somewhat absentmindedly.

"Whatever. Anyways, either that's the biggest number of cacti I've ever seen in one place or it's a forest."

They rode on in excited silence, watching as the sand gave way to springy grass, and the occasional cactus to thickly clustered trees. The birds once more swooped overhead and chittered, and a cooling breeze swept through the and oaks. The horses picked up their pace, bobbing their heads. They knew that they were near the end of their journey.

The gates to the village loomed up in the distance, and got larger and larger as they got nearer. Finally, they towered over the teenagers, and slowly opened. There were only a few people milling around, but Jesse knew that the New Order was pretty popular, you know, because of all that saving the world from the Witherstorm business, and word would soon spread quickly of their return.

Sure enough, a few people spotted them and dashed off, yelling what no doubt was a message that the heroes of the town, scratch that, the WORLD, had returned. Something that sounded like an earthquake pounded far away, getting closer and closer. No doubt a crowd. And sure enough, it was. A crowd of screaming fans. Jesse's head ached from the sudden change in the average number of decibels as he tried to wind his way through all the people.

He didn't remember much, it passed by in a blur. He high-fived a few people, smiled at everyone until he thought his face would break, and tried to avoid being jostled off his horse. When they finally got the horses stabled and to the Treasure Hall, they got in and Jesse slammed the door, then barricaded himself against it, panting and eyes wide.

"And that- is the only reason I don't like being viewed as a hero," Petra remarked, leaning against a wall. Jesse nodded, leaning off the doors, and brushing hair out of his eyes.

"I don't understand why they go crazy whenever we come back. I mean, it's not like the world is in danger again. We're just- exploring," Lukas said. He rummaged through his inventory, "Uhh, don't exactly have anything exciting to put here." Jesse shrugged.

"We still have that diamond from the temple we raided a few weeks ago," Jesse replied, taking out the gem and fingering it, "We could use that."

He walked down the hall, friends following wearily, the cool stone a welcome change from the glaring heat of the sun outside. When they got to the hall, Jesse walked up to a pedestal, and placed the diamond on it, friends gathered around. He smiled as it floated there, bobbing up and down.

"So, I think we should head home now," he said, turning away. Jesse started walking down the stairs, tired feet eager to reach home, when a pattering of feet down the hallway.

"This better not be another guy wanting an autograph like last time…" Axel muttered as the owner of the feet came into view.

"I-Ivor?" Jesse stuttered, "I thought you were-"

"Adventuring? Well, yes. But there's no time for that now!" the man explained, "I need to talk to you all on the dining hall at the Mansion as soon as possible."

"Uh, thanks, but I think we'll be fine listening to whatever you have to say here," Petra said, crossing her arms. Ivor's eyebrows shot up like eagles.

"I don't think so," he said, folding his arms, "I meet on my own terms." Then he closed his eyes, "Besides, I need to get my inventory together to find my books."

"Fine," Jesse murmured, "But this better not be something like last time. Don't tell us you've unleashed another world-eating monster in order to get revenge on some people who lied to everyone."

Ivor snorted, "No. That's not the problem." He shifted, "And where would I get those ingredients, eh? I haven't seen one of my crafting books for months."

"I guess it'd be a bad time to tell him we burned them, huh?" Lukas whispered to Jesse, who nodded slightly. It seemed reasonable at the time. It was a misfired prank. That's all.

"Alright, I guess we'd better be moving on then." His green eyes looked up, "It'll be good to finally be home."

 **xXx**

A few hours later, the entire gang had gotten cleaned up and into new clothes. They were wondering what could have been so important as to draw Ivor out of his travels. Lukas ran a hand through his damp blond hair.

"It's nice to finally be able to choose what to wear and not worry about the weather," he said, and the others nodded. Jesse walked up to the doors of the dining hall and threw them open with a bang. Ivor, who was sitting at the table, looked up, startled.

"Jesse. Petra. Axel. Olivia. And Louis-"

"Lukas," the boy corrected.

"Whatever. Anyways, I fear I have some- not-so-cheery news." He waved them over, "Sit, sit." The kids complied, shuffling over uneasily into their chairs. When Ivor said that something was wrong, it usually was. Usually. They hoped that this was the time where he wasn't.

"So, what's the problem?" Petra huffed, "We don't have all day-"

"Well, I'd get to it if you didn't interrupt!" Ivor snapped back. Petra shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Back to the point. I have some bad news." He took in a breath, "Everyone, I fear that a new danger threatens our fair world."

* * *

 **Oooh, cliffie! Maybe? No? Ahhh, well. Here is a good example of my writing. The first chapter is like that "ewww" draft of this. Anyways, keep an eye out for more** **chapters of "Playing God!"**

 **Annnddd another**

 **QTC: How do YOU pronounce "Lukesse"?**

 **Review Responsessss:**

 **Rabbits rule (Guest): Hmmm, normally I'd agree with you, but I think Luktra is still cute (Heck, almost any ships with Jesse, Lukas, and/or Petra are cute) And thanks for reviewing twice! It's nice to know that I have people who like my story already!**

 **TealEmpress: Thanks for the feedback! I'm not really that the top of my writing game ATM, but I just KNEW that something was wrong with the descriptions.**

 **Emily the Avenger: I can't choose between Jetra and Luktra, though to me, Jetra makes a bit more sense. (WHO HATES LUKESSE?! TREASONNNN xD) And thanks! I don't know how many writers there are here, but there's definitely a lot less than in the Warriors fandom. Can't wait to meetcha all!**

 **KingKahin99: I see what you did there.**

 **NoItsBecky: I had a feeling you would say that ;)**

 **sailor mikuchan: Haha, I get it :3**

 **Guest (Um, a guest?): Thanks! I'm glad you like it!**

 **Cookies to everyone who did anything but just read this story and move on!**

 **(Wow, it really feels odd that people are actually critiquing. I feel like you get way more attention on smaller fandoms... And. I. Love it! Hehe)**

 **~Meowy**


	3. Chapter 3: Calm Before the Storm

**[[Update Log: March 10, 2017]]**

 **[Waaawwza! This already has 308 views and 20 reviews! Many tanks, everyone! :3]**

 ***Ahem* Anyways, I'm sure that some of you are on pins and needles that I left off right as Ivor was telling them whatever the heck it was that was invading the world. But hey! Many people have done it! Okay, maybe a few. One or two.**

 **Maybe no one but me. But- ON WITH THE STORY!**

 **Wait, where's Minty?**

 **Shadow: yeah, yeah I'll take it. *Flips switch* *silence* You're WELCOME.**

 **Sorry, thanks. Now, on with the chapter!**

* * *

There was a dramatic pause.

"Well?" Axel demanded, "Are you gonna tell us or not?"

"Yes, yes, I was getting to that part," Ivor said hastily, "Anyways. *Ahem!* Like I said, I believe our fair world is in terrible danger." Everyone relaxed at this.

"So, just 'believe,' you don't actually 'fear.' Nice to know," Petra remarked sarcastically. Ivor threw up his hands in frustration.

"Will you just let me get to the point?!" he exclaimed, scowling. When he was met with utter silence, he leaned back in his chair. "Thank you," Ivor growled, "Now, as I was saying- I fear that our fair world is in terrible danger. As you know, I have been- adventuring lately-"

"What's new?" Lukas said under his breath.

"-And-" Ivor continued, pretending not to notice, "-It seems that I have found a new- sickness."

Dead silence.

"Ivor. You'd better not have dragged us all here to tell us you have a new kind of cold. Because if you did, I swear I will-" Petra started.

"No, no, no no! WILL YOU LET ME FINISH?!"

"Well, it seemed that you'd finished," Jesse pointed out.

"I was _pausing_ ," Ivor muttered, "For effect." He looked up, "Anyways. If no one has any more interruptions. As I was saying, I seem to have found a new sickness." He slammed a book he appears to have pulled out of nowhere on the table. It was, of course, dusty. "When I was researching in the library, I stumbled across this book." Jesse squinted at it and frowned.

"The Blockhead's Guide to Pruning?" he asked skeptically. Ivor snatched the book and shoved it into his satchel, which was slung on the back of his chair.

"No, not THAT one... It was right about- Here!" Another book slid out of Ivor's bag - this one was a thick, dust-free, leather-bound journal with a tarnished silver clasp. He opened it to a specific page, then laid it on the table so everyone could see it. Jesse leaned over the table and struggled to read the letters. They were a messy bunch, like groups of people leaning into the wind, and were hardly decipherable.

"What is this? A journal of some kind?" Lukas asked. He flipped through the pages carefully, glancing at the scribbles and hurried illustrations on every page.

"Yes. It seems that every few decades or so, a virus appears up, infects a few people and kills them. But somehow, it slips away from the pages of history," Ivor explained, "And the owner of this journal seems to have been somewhat of a witness of this- strange phenomenon." He pried the journal away from Lukas and turned to a bookmarked entry. "They mention it a few times. Look. Here, and also here." He tapped the page where words or phrases had been circled in red.

"I can't see what's the big deal," Olivia murmured as she read a passage with multiple red marks, "It doesn't seem to be that bad."

"I don't think the author or authoress, ever caught the disease him or herself. Or ever witnessed someone in the later stages, but heard whispers about the 'death' phases from other people. That would explain the ambiguity," Ivor replied, "But I remember when the Old Order was traveling on an early mission. They- we- had passed through a town. Utterly empty." He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes briefly. "It was a typical village alright. But something was different. Chilling. I think the only time I really started to notice was after we passed through it. There were no people."

"I think that's implied-" Jesse piped up, but Ivor cut him off impatiently.

"No people." There was a long silence. "Later, when I went back by myself that night, I just saw items." He stressed the last word. Items. "And even the houses looked disturbing. It was the lack of life, but then again, something is unsettling about seeing blood, isn't there?"

"Blood?" Petra echoed, "You mean like- fighting or-?" She clapped her hand over her mouth and muttered some sort of expletive when she realized what he meant. The others just sat in silence, staring off into space at this rather- disturbing prospect.

"I don't mean there was blood everywhere," Ivor added hastily, "But still." He leaned forward. "That day has fused itself into my memory." He waved a hand. "But anyways. This is the virus I'm talking about. It's spread through infected blood or saliva coming in contact with the bloodstream. It's usually caused by bites or scratches by animals. But humans have passed it on to others. I don't know the technical details, but I'm sure there's something in the library if you looked."

"Sounds pretty nasty," Axel said, folding his arms and grimacing slightly.

"Oh, it is. But that's not why I came to you. Because I could do better things with my time than scare you with my stories." He stared everyone at the table in the eye, "I think the cycle is coming again."

"Whoa whoa whoa. What exactly do you mean, 'coming again?'" Jesse put in. Ivor flashed him an annoyed glare.

"Isn't it obvious?! Out adventuring, I found signs of that nasty disease. It can control you. Make your habits change in the wink of an eye. I'm afraid it could spread to other worlds if we're not careful. So that's why I came back; to warn you." The only noise in the room now was him tapping the table with his fingers. Ivor got up suddenly, making the legs of his chair scrape the ground harshly and causing everyone to jump. "Well, I guess I'm done now, aren't I?"

"I guess so." Jesse followed Ivor's lead and got up, "We are not going to do much good sitting around, so I vote we look in the library for something that could be usef- uh, helpful." Petra stood up and stretched.

"Yeah, why not? Dusty books are a great way to spend an afternoon," she muttered as she walked out and slammed the door with a half-enthusiastic bang. Jesse ran after her, followed by Axel, Olivia, and Lukas. Ivor stared after them, something of a half-grin on his face. He shook his head.

"I wonder if I should tell them about-?" he wondered aloud. Then he pursed his lips. "No, not now. Later. And I'm not even sure." He tucked the journal under his arm and walked away, lost in thought.

* * *

 **(Ehhh, probably not my best chapter ever, but I think t'sokay.)**

 **Whoo. So things are starting to heat up a bit, huh?**

 **I forgot to answer the last QTC. I pronounce it "Luk-ESS." TBH, I don't really care how a ship is pronounced as long as it makes sense.**

 **Anyways.**

 **And**

 **Another QTC: What is your favorite moment so far? It's a bit early to tell... But just curious.**

 **sailor mikuchan: Thank you. I've always suspected, but was too lazy to find out.**

 **TealEmpress: I'm glad you liked it! I really obsessed over how they act and talk to make sure it sounded canon xD And it's nice to know that those pet peeves are not only mine. Also, thanks for spotting it! :0 I fixed that.**

 **Emily the Avenger: I have taken note of it :-P**

 **NoItsBecky: Well, in part because I've read your profile and Minecraft: Prompts Mode. I read everyone who's anyone's profile and stories (translation: I read all profiles of authors whose stories show up on the MC:SM fanfic front page multiple times.) And thank you! I'm glad you like it! :D**

 **123456 (Guest): Well, I'm practicing cliffies, so there's an explanation for that x3 And I'm not sure I'll reveal the meaning of the title right now, but I might later, probably at the end of the story. (I c whut u did there ;) )**

 **PokeFanficReaderB: Ahh, thanks! And Jetra seems to be winning, eh? x3 And yes, I forgot to say that, didn't I? This is set some time after Episode 8**

 **Rabbits Rule (Guest): Hahaha, I feel ya. I love my ships/OTPs too much... (Ashflight! You were never meant to be ;~;)**

 **MissyMattingly: Mhmmm**

 **Toodles!**

 **~Meow**


	4. Chapter 4: A True Menace

**[[Update Log: March 20, 2017]]**

 **Wheep! Another chapterrr. But it's kinda short and rather boring excitement-wise...**

 **(My chapter hands are off on a vacation to the Bahamas... And they didn't take me. So I just have to do the honors :3)**

 ***flips switch***

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The library. A place of knowledge, mystery, and dusty old books. The tomes were looming high above Jesse and Lukas' heads, glaring down on the two guys as they were awoken from their eternal slumber by a pesky little torch. The duo was sitting in a corner, on two slightly overstuffed red recliners. A glass of water was leaning over the edge of a small table that had stacks of books piled rather carelessly over the rest of the surface. The light from the window did little good to banish the shadows, so a trembling torch stood in its tiny sconce, flickering out every so often. The night was dragging on, and it was quite late, seeing as the others were probably in bed. Or in the kitchen for a late snack.

Jesse's tired fingers leafed through a hand-written book, before letting it fall to the table with a sigh of frustration.

"I don't think we'll ever find anything here tonight," he growled, "It's already way past sundown, and here we are, paging through books to look for something that might not exist!" He kicked over a stack of books, then hissed as the thick tomes fell on his foot. Wrenching it away, Jesse danced in place, before sitting down and rubbing his sore toes. Lukas just bent over and picked up a title from the now-messy pile. He let it drop to the table before glancing back and picking it up again hastily. Flipping through a few pages, Lukas' blue eyes scanned the words, until he reached a section. He read a paragraph or two before wincing.

"Hey, uh Jesse? I think you might want to take a look at this." Lukas laid the book, pages up, on the table. Jesse leaned over the small table and started reading.

"Looks pretty bad," Jesse muttered, "The Sanguanem virus, also known as the- bleeding sickness-" he paused, then started mouthing the words as he read silently for a bit, then read aloud the significant bits. "Symptoms include coughing, blood in the saliva, tremors, nausea, vomiting with or without blood, drowsiness, prone to fainting under high stress or heat, disturbing fever dreams, comas, and even-" he grimaced, "-death."

"Lovely," Lukas muttered.

"Sickness is carried by multiple hosts- bats are common vectors. The victim only needs to be bitten once for the disease to spread. Symptoms usually start around three days, or possibly up to five. Depending on the person, they may lapse into a coma between two to five days after symptoms begin to show, but a few cases have been documented as staying conscious as long as a week. Those, however, are very rare- death usually occurs a day to two days after lapsing into a coma, but can also be instantaneous or may take place after a few hours. The only known cure is hard to obtain but very effective." Jesse put down the book. "Great. Sounds as fatal as dying itself."

"I know. I wouldn't wish it on anyone."

"Not even the Blaze Rods?" Lukas hesitated.

"They were pretty big jerks, but I guess not. It's a horrible way to go."

Jesse nodded, thoughts drifting off. Lukas closed the book and got out of the chair, stretching.

"Well, tomorrow's gonna be a long day. I'd better get some sleep." He walked out of the library, closing the great oak doors behind him, trying to be quiet, but instead jarring Jesse from his thoughts.

Jesse slowly rose from the armchair and took the torch from its sconce. Shuffling slowly out, the light retreated with him from the library, letting the shadows creep in and rule the vast space once more.

* * *

 **Yaaap. And dere it goes. Sorry for the short chapter! It's mostly just supposed to inform you on the danger...**

 **QTC: Uhhh, what's your favorite quote from Minecraft: Story Mode? :P**

 **Now...**

 **REVIEW RESPONSESSSSS**

 **PokeFanficReaderB: Meh, I'm pretty sure I'd be able to mount a horse when I'm tired (I survive with little sleep :]) Anyways. I was planning to update every week, but from my pattern, it seems to be every... two-ish? *Don't wanna jinx it!* And thanks!**

 **Beli0304: Cool! And I didn't realize that, but I heard that song and I love it! I can't believe I forgot that... And grazie for the blessing. I shall try *bows***

 **sailor mikuchan: Haha, yep. Carefully chosen words always make the story more... interesting :]**

 **Emily the Avenger: Thanks, I tried. The book thing was the most obvious**

 **KingKahin99 (Guest): Ah, thanks for the feedback! Oh, yeesh. That's a hard one. I do like Minecraft: Story Mode a lot and it's one of my favorites. Mmm, I like the Ratchet and Clank series and also this old game series called 'Westward' by Big Fish.**

 **NinaNaranja: Yup! I love bio and science, so I went on an Internet Goose Chase reading articles on stuffs like that. Thanks for the encouragement! And I do have a kitty named Shadow, as well. She's the namesake of all my current usernames.**

 **TealEmpress: Oi! No problem! It's entirely up to you :) And thanks for that, I wasn't sure if I was playing up the Ivor-ness enough or too little or whatnot x3 It's hard enough to tell these days so I have to play the game again... And you shouldn't be worried about them! Or- should you...?**

 **123456 (Guest): Thanks! Like I said... Will it? *laughs hoarsely* And I'm glad you came up with a few theories. Feel free to share some time!**

 **~Meow**


	5. Chapter 5: An Unforeseen Twist

**[[Update log: April 6]]**

 **Heck. It's been a while. And I decided to write another story at the same time as this. (Wish me luck) And I'm not going to be on at all next week (April 9th-13th) So I just went ahead and decided to UPDATE THIS ALREADY. And it's longer than the last chapter (which is not hard at all for me, heh) *PAMA voice* YAY. Er, PAMA aside- ON WITH THE STORY.**

 ***Flips switch because all my OCs are absent :3***

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Jesse rolled over in bed, half-asleep, expecting the morning cold to enfold him like a heavy cloak. Weird. Instead, he was warm. Did he have a fever? Like-? He bolted upright, suddenly torn from a sleepy haze, panting. Jesse felt his forehead. No. No fever. Remembering where he was, he stretched and yawned, still drowsy, but unable to go back to sleep because of the sudden jolt. Looking outside, he smoothed out his white t-shirt and fuzzy navy blue pajama pants, watching the sun peek out from behind the hills, casting a soft pink glow on the horizon. Morning birds sang from the trees, chittering and whistling, calling to their mates and staking out territory. He quickly got ready, opting for his classic white shirt and jeans instead of the armor he'd been wearing for he past days. Or was it weeks? Actually, felt more like months.

Rubbing his eyes, Jesse walked across the room and threw the door open, secretly relishing the noise. He padded down the hall, eyes brighter with every step, to the dining room. He cracked open the door, then slipped inside. The rest of the New Order was sitting at the table, bending over a map. Jesse poured himself a bowl of cereal and sat next to Olivia, trying to get in sync with the conversation buzzing around at the moment.

"So, I think we should try here, and here-" Lukas was saying.

"Whoa, are you sure? I thought that this, whatever it was, usually grows in biomes like those right about- here," Olivia said, circling a particular place on the map.

"Wait, is this about finding that cure?" Jesse asked, pushing the now-forgotten bowl away. He propped himself on his elbows and looked it over, eyes scanning the paper. There were a few notes scribbled in the margins and a few items were scattered across the time-worn parchment.

"Yeah, there were many 'cures,' but I think this one is the right one," Lukas answered, though it sounded half to himself.

"So, what's it made of, exactly?" Petra mused, leaning forward after having broken from her apparent light doze.

"According to this book over here," Axel remarked, "It's supposed to be made of a potion of healing, a plant, and another plant." He flipped the book onto the table. "Sounds like the usual cures. You know, you take some of this- some of that- and BAM!" he clapped his hands, startling everyone. "You have whatever it is to cure everything." Olivia sighed, then flipped open the leather-bound book.

"Not necessarily... There's some diseases that can't exactly be cured, you know. Like stupidity," she pointed out, adding the last part under her breath.

"Uh, so a potion and two plants," Jesse said, "Could you -elaborate- a bit?"

"The only thing that kills the bug is a drink of some kind made out of three things," Olivia responded, spreading out her hands, "A potion of healing that apparently only Ivor's lab in the Far Lands has the ingredients to, Netherwart, and a plant called a madragona."

"Like from the legend?" Jesse wondered aloud.

"I think so- depends on what legend you're talking about," Lukas replied, "Anyways, I think it'd be best if we split up or something-" he shot a questioning look at Jesse, who had grabbed an apple and was nibbling away at it. Looking at the map, he shrugged.

"I don't know. I guess that we can split up into two or three groups. It'd get the stuff a lot quicker, but we could be spreading ourselves out too thin." He bit out a chunk of apple.

"True."

The brown-haired boy traced a line with his finger on the map, fingering the familiar journey they'd taken months ago. His treehouse, EnderCon, the Temple, Redstonia and Boomtown- It was a long trip. Too long. Too many losses. He ripped another bit out of the apple and chewed it contemplatively.

"It's quality over quantity, I guess, then," Jesse sighed, "We'll just split up, then." He nodded at Lukas, "We can go however you all want- I don't feel like forcing you guys."

"Uh, okay then," Lukas answered, "We've had a vague idea. Axel and Olivia could go after the stuff in the Far Lands with Ivor, and you and I could get the Netherwart and madragona."

"And Petra?"

"Yeah? What about me?" she said, slightly snappish.

"From the plans, I think you should come with us- You know the Nether better than anyone here," Jesse pointed out. Petra leaned back and closed her eyes for a second, contemplating her options.

"I guess I'll come, then. It seems like the fun thing to do." She smiled, rather wearily, Jesse noted.

"Okay. So, here's the plan, then," he said, getting up, "Olivia and Axel, you guys can go get that potion from the Farlands with Ivor- Uh, where is he, anyways?"

"I think he's still at his house. I haven't seen him since yesterday afternoon," Axel responded, "Come to think of it, I haven't seen him since he called us together about the disease talk thing."

"Okay, so you can go to the Far Lands- and Lukas, Petra and I will go to get that plant, then we can build a Nether portal and get that Netherwart and hop back home. Sound good?" Everyone agreed in some form. "Good. Now- we should get prepared. Get a good night's sleep, too. It's going to be a long couple of days ahead of us." They got up and headed for the door. Jesse opened it, and came face to face with-

"Ivor!" he yelped.

"Yes, me," the man said. He glanced over to the table. "I see you've already discussed plans? How very- efficient."

"Yeah. Now could you let us through?" Axel grumbled.

Ivor just shrugged, and moved out of the doorway. The hall was abuzz with chatter. But just before Jesse could slip off to his room, Ivor grabbed his shoulder.

"What now?" Jesse whined.

"Jesse. I have some rather- bad news. It concerns one of your friends." He stopped short.

"What?"

"In the dining hall, please," Ivor glanced at the rest of the New Order, "I don't want to disturb them." Jesse plodded back into the hall, closing the door when the dark-haired man strode in.

"What is it?" Jesse asked, sitting down in a chair across from Ivor.

"Like I said. I have some rather bad news."

"Uh-huh."

"I wasn't sure at first. I didn't want to declare it guilty until proven innocent, but nature has said otherwise." He paused for a moment before continuing, "I couldn't help but notice the signs. The labored breathing, lethargy, lack of an attention span-"

"Whoa. Just what are we talking about here?"

"Not _what,_ Jesse. _Who._ "

"Alright, then. WHO are we talking about?"

He hesitated. "Jesse- I regret to inform you- But I think one of your friends has the bleeding sickness." Jesse's eyes widened, and he lapsed into silence for a moment.

"Who?"

"Petra." Ivor scratched his beard, "But it's one thing I can't figure out- has she been in contact with anything that could have given it to her? Bats maybe?"

"Bats? Well, we were exploring this dungeon, and she- Never mind. Yeah."

"Then all of the pieces have fallen into place. There's no denying the obvious, Jesse."

The boy ran his hand through his hair and closed his eyes. Silence filled the room and suck there like an immovable rock.

"No. She can't."

"Why not?"

"Because! Because-" Jesse sighed, "She's one of the strongest people I know. I mean, I'd expect Lukas or Axel or Olivia or even me- But Petra? No."

"She's still human."

"I- know." He leaned forward, eyes flashing and pounding his fist on the table, "But I can't! I can't lose her. I lost Reuben. Isn't that enough?!"

"Jesse-"

"No! Leave me alone, Ivor!" he growled, before turning and storming out of the dining hall. He got to his room and closed the door. "No. He's lying. Leave it alone, Jesse!" He sat on the bed, clutching it as if it was a lifeline. He wouldn't lose another friend. A close friend. One of his only human friends.

Even if he didn't know whether Ivor was right or not, he knew this:

If Petra was sick, her time was running out. And fast.

And that the New Order would be the only ones able to save her.

* * *

 **Sorry for the chapter. I feel like it's not as good as it could be, but I just wanted to get this out. It feels like we're 5 chapters in but still no action! *sighs***

 **Well, anyways. PLOT TWIST. HOW MANY OF YOU SAW THAT COMING?! I mean, I only know that maybe only one person who read this knew that this was coming, but only because I helped them figure it out. And maybe also my friend who also reads this... *coughs* (Or maybe I didn't disguise it as well?)**

 **QTC: Who's your favorite Minecraft: Story Mode character?**

 **My answer? I dunno. I consider the NOOTS all like my children.**

 **Now. Time for...**

 **REVIEW RESPONSESSSSS!:**

 **Emily the Avenger: I know, right?! I just laugh every time I hear him say that *chuckles***

 **Beli0304: Ahh, but every person dies of a fatal disease... Life. No kidding! You don't get out of life alive (as odd as it is) *Rubs hands* But** **let's get this party started!**

 **sailor . mikuchan: Hehe, nice.**

 **King Kahin (Guest): Ah. A serious, quote then, huh?**

 **sedatetoucan: Thanks! And don't beat yourself up- my first fanfiction was horrible. No plot, Mary-Sues, very formal... I can't believe I wrote like that last summer -.-' And thanks! I like it when people appreciate the story :)**

 **Boip!**

 **~Meow**


	6. Chapter 6: Cue the Music

**HOO YES. I AM BACK HELLO.**

 **WELL THEN. WHY AM I TALKING IN ALL CAPS. AND NO GRAMMAR. LEMME FIX THAT.**

 **Okay. There we go! And I am back! (In case you're wondering, my week away last month was awesome. Draining, but awesome. And inspiring. And depressing; I was in a funk for a few days.) Enjoy the story, guys :') It took a lot of pain, sweat, and tears. And it's still bad 0n0**

 ***flips switch***

* * *

Dreams. Dreams are funny things. They can be good dreams, such as ones of cupcakes and crushes, or disturbing dreams of childhood filled with frightening phantoms and strange shadows. As for Jesse's dreams? Well, he couldn't decide. But he was leaning more toward the realm of darker dreams.

"No, no, please-" he muttered, "No. NO. REUBEN!" Jesse yelled, shooting to an upright position. A cool sensation wrapped around him like a fist. He instantly pulled the retreating blanket closer, sleepily looking over to the window, which, he remembered, he'd thrown open last night. The wind was now rushing in, making the hinges of the shutters squeal and complain. Jesse wrapped the blanket around himself and padded over to the window, looking out on the lunar-light bathed landscape for a moment before slamming the shutters closed. He walked over and lay down in bed, curling around an extra pillow and nodding off.

A moment later, he was running across the room and flipping the lights on, trailing his blanket behind him like a cape. Opening the door, Jesse looked down the hallway and headed toward the faint glow at the right end of the hallway.

"Hello?" he called, "What's going on?" No response, just hushed whispers. He yawned and pushed his hair out of his eyes, making a note to cut it later. The glow became brighter and brighter as he reached the end of the hall, then turned the corner and blinked. "Lukas? Olivia? Wha- what's going on?"

"It's Petra... I think, she- has- it," Olivia murmured, nervously running a hand down her green nightie, "The sickness, I mean. Ivor's warned us to stay here, and he went in the room to make sure she was okay or something like that."

"Is she alright?" Jesse asked, looking at the door.

"As alright as someone that has the sickness would be."

"Is she like, can I-?" Leaning against the door proved a very, uh, non-smart idea. One minute, he was leaning against a sturdy oak door, the next, he was staring up at the ceiling. In a rather uncomfortable position. "Ow."

"Jesse!" Jesse pulled himself up and squinted at the figures before him.

"Ivor-s?" The men looked confused for a second.

"What are you talking about?" Ivor just shook his head, extending his hand for a second to help the boy up. "I was just about to go looking for you- but I see that you have already come. It's Petra-"

"I know!" Jesse snapped, eyes as hard as flint, "You told me already. I know."

Ivor nodded, and put one arm around Lukas' shoulder, and the other around Olivia's, "Okay, let's go see if there are any Witherstorms running around. Don't want a repeat of the last incident!" He pulled the two down the hallway, both protesting loudly.

"Let me go!" Olivia said.

"I thought we had an agreement that you weren't going to fool around with command blocks!" Lukas added, trying to slip away. Jesse just shook his head and a grin played at his lips as he leaned his head on the doorframe. Ivor.

He shook his head. No. Ivor wasn't the problem. He knocked on the wall.

"Petra?"

No answer. He tried again.

"Petra?"

No answer, again. Jesse pushed open the door, hesitating in the doorway, eyes flickering across the room.

Navy blue walls, ivory trim... The bed stood in the far left corner with rumpled blue covers and a dark oak nightstand with a trembling lamp that hid in a yellow lampshade. Dark oak dresser with a few clothes peeking out in the far right corner. The window, which was on the far wall and near the dresser, was open, and the night breezes were making the gold curtains flap.

"Pehhhhtruuuhhhh," he called one more time. Hearing no other answer, he sat down on the bed, drawing his blanket closer to him. Jesse glanced at the oak door that led to Petra's bathroom before looking away to the window. The nights were getting warmer, and the cool breeze swept into the room, making the curtains flutter slightly before resuming to their position. Jesse yawned, closing his eyes for a few seconds.

"No! Must- stay awake," he murmured. He tried counting the stripes on the wallpaper, but nodded off before he got to five.

 **xXx**

"Jesse-"

"Petra? What are you doing here?"

"Jesse!" Jesse was shaken awake. When he opened his eyes, he saw-

"PETRA!" He sat up quickly, backing away slightly.

"Hey, it's okay. I didn't do anything to you when you were sleeping, I swear." She winked at him and laughed slightly as she sat next to him, "But I must say- your outfit is quite stunning. A t-shirt and boxers is winning. I don't know how you keep all the ladies away." Jesse chuckled nervously and wrapped his blanket around himself tightly.

"Y-yeah, I meant to put on pajama pants but-"

"Just stop. I'm assuming we didn't come here to talk about your _fabulous_ sleeping clothes and frivolous stuff." Petra paused and surveyed him through narrow eyes, "Ivor told you, huh? I'm not sure he's got all the screws tight in there, but when it comes to old stuff- he knows what he's talking about." She stopped again and swiped at pink-tinted saliva that hung at the corner of her mouth. "I mean, it kind of tastes nasty to swallow now- I haven't resorted to coughing fits, and I don't think it's likely. But you never know."

"Petra?"

"Yeah?"

"You're not going to die."

"I wasn't planning on it." She ruffled his hair in a quick gesture, "You worry too much, Jesse."

"Ever since Reuben died... I feel like it's my fault-"

"You need to get over it a bit more, Jay. Focus on the present, not on the past. Focus on the people who love you. Like Olivia, Lukas, Axel-"

"Love me?"

She rolled her eyes, "You know what I mean. Don't think that bromance between you and Lukas and Axel goes unnoticed by us females."

He looked at the floor and smiled, "And?"

"And what?"

"Anyone else?"

"Dork. I like you-"

"That doesn't count!"

"Shut up and go to sleep. Tomorrow's a new day, shoo!" Petra pulled him to his feet and shoved him out, closing the door to a mere crack and blowing him a mock kiss, "'Night. Luv ya."

He laughed and gave the door one lingering look, before padding down the long hall and turning the corner. Jesse walked through the door to his bedroom, which he had left open. He slammed it shut, then went over to the window and opened it, looking at the stars. For once, he wondered if destiny was pre-written. If this was pre-planned, was it all a sick joke? He clenched his fists. No. No One would be this cruel. Everything would work out for the better. If Petra lived or died, it would all work out. Like Reuben had. Right?

Jesse braced himself on the windowsill and bowed his head, praying fervently for Petra's life.

* * *

 **I feel too depressed to write anything witty or funny. And I wrote some reviews when I was over-bubbly. Ugh. I hate that part of me sometimes.**

 **QTC: Alright- now who's your LEAST favorite character in MC:SM?**

 **Mine? Eeehhh, I think it might be PAMA.**

 **So.**

 **REVIEW RESPONSESSSSSS!:**

 **TealEmpress: Yes. I hope so to- Wait. I'm the author, aren't I? Darn. *sighs* And, as one of my friends would say, PLOT TWIST! The plot is now thicker than maple syrup.**

 **Beli0304: Yeah. I was playing the game last night- and I thought, "Geez. Why'd I choose her? She goes through a lot of junk and stuff." So- *shrugs* And yeah, totally got to agree with you there. And he's got excellent hair xD (I'm sorry. I couldn't resist a reference.)**

 **Emily the Avenger: YES. YES. YOU FINALLY SUCCEEDED, MEOW. *Technical difficulties, please stand by***

 **NoItsBecky: Huh. I think if you go back now, you might be able to see foreshadowing. Or Maybe I'm and author who sucks at foreshadowing. IDK.**

 **KingKahin99: eEEEEh, it was mostly just a poll. There is implied Jetra/a bit of Luktra, and I'm planning on incorporating some bromance (ehehe, different than gay relationship, but almost as close) But yeah. Honestly, my polls don't really affect anything. I have it all planned out, unless I feel a radical change for the better.**

 **Jay Guest (Guest): Aww, thanks! I'm glad that people enjoy my stories ^_^ And I don't judge. I just find it odd because she's kind of a villain, but like whoever you like, I guess. I'm more of a generic fan person who likes who most people like :P**

 **Anyways, keep on coming, and sorry for the lateness of this post. It's almost been a month, but I honestly haven't felt like writing besides for school. And speaking of which, school's out for me in three weeks! So I hope to be more active then.**

 **Luv,**

 **~Meow**


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